3 Tips for Adding New Tech to Your Business

BREAKING NEWS: After decades of Monday Night Football, Fox has decided to begin airing on Tuesday nights, directly following So You Think You Can Dance.

Just kidding.

Imagine how quickly football fans in the U.S. would riot in the streets if this were true.

Fox Network would be burned to the ground in a matter of days. The government would collapse and we would be plunged into a real life version of The Hunger Games.

Why? Because people don’t like change.

Change makes people feel uncomfortable. We like structure and routine in our lives, so when something comes along that may change what we know, we resist.

At the organizational level, this couldn’t be truer, especially when it comes to implementing new technology. If you think people freaking out over a change in font on the weekly company memo is bad, try telling them they have to switch operating systems.

Regardless, change is necessary for businesses to evolve and grow. Since technology is changing at a rapid rate, one of the biggest forms of change your organization will face is adopting these new trends.

Implementing technological change at the organizational level is a delicate process, but, if done carefully, you can minimize the amount employee resistance you might face.

Identify and Investigate a Need

If you’re thinking about adding new technology to your business, make sure that it’s absolutely necessary. Don’t change things up simply because the new iPhone looks cool and you want everyone in your organization to have one. Look for issues that need to be solved, weigh how much these issues are costing your business and then find an application to meet this need.

Once the need and solution have been identified, make your intentions public before beginning to change things. Be completely transparent with your employees, explain why you plan on implementing change and how you’re going to do it. Even if you feel the change is insignificant, it may not be to your employees. Having a well thought out presentation explaining the how and the why will help your employees accept this change.

Learn the Tech and Plan a Roadmap

Change is most effective when it’s gradual. After everyone is aware that new technology is going to be implemented, go around to the people that are most affected by it, and see what you can do to alleviate the disruption. Once any potential issues have been identified, create a timeline pinpointing exactly when and how you want this transition to be enacted.

As you go through this process, you must also become an expert in the technology you are implementing. It is one thing to just look at the perks and make all of your employees adopt the tech just because Forbes recommended it. No. If you are at the forefront of adding new technology to your business, you need to know the in’s and out’s.

Implementing the Technology

Training is key to adopting new technology. Instead of bringing in specialists or having your IT department add it for your employees, teach them how to install and work the application themselves. Have each of your employees go through some form of training, showing them how to use the application, its purpose and how to install it themselves. One of the best ways to learn is through practice. If they know how to do it themselves, they are more likely accept the change.

During this implementation phase, though, both your IT department and managerial team must be ready to provide an insurmountable level of support. Some people just won’t get it at first and will take longer than others to adapt. Be patient, and be prepared for speed bumps.

If you properly identify a need that must be met, a solution to that need and an in-depth plan for adopting the solution, change will come with relative ease. During times of change, you need to lead. Show them the benefits and they’ll follow with little resistance.